Why Supreme Court has banned BS-III vehicles – how it will impact you?

From 1st April, 2017, Bharat Stage BS-III vehicles in the country will not be sold nor will they be registered. The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave this order. Auto manufacturers had asked for a one-year grant period for the sale of BS-III vehicles. It is important to note that you can still sell BS-III vehicles person to person.

The Bench of Justices MB Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta said, “In the vehicles which do not have BS-IV emission norms, they will not be sold from April 1. Health of people is more important than the commercial interests of automobile manufacturers.”

Vehicles with BS-IV emission standard will be operational from April 1.

What is the meaning of Supreme Court decision?

Question: My car is to be delivered today. So will it not get registration?

Answer: The decision will come into effect from 1st April. If the car is billed till March 31, then there will be no problem in getting the registration.

Question: Can I not take my BS-III car on the road?

Answer: You will be. The ban is only on sale and registration of new BS-III vehicles from April 1. There is no effect on a previously purchased vehicle.

Question: I was about to sell my old BS-III car. Can I sell it?

Answer: Yes, you can sell it Person-to-person, because it has already been registered.

What did SIAM say to the court?

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) told about the manufacturing and sale of BS-III vehicles from January 2016.

SIAM told the court, the companies have 8.24 lakh vehicles of BS-III Norm. The manufacturers had also told the court that if new technology does not come, they should have permission to sell old-technology vehicles.

Unsold BS-III Vehicles (up to March 20, 2017)

Categorized Commercial Vehicles 96,724

Two-Wheelers 6,71,308

Three Wheelers 40,048

Cars 16,198

What is the controversy?

The Environmental Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) filed a petition in the Supreme Court that only BS-IV standard vehicles should be allowed to be sold.

Against this, auto companies had also approached the court. Auto companies had sought a one-year moratorium for the sale of BS-III inventory from the Supreme Court.

The government spent Rs 18,000 – 20,000 crore

According to Harish Salve, senior advocate who is representing the EPCA, automobile companies knew that BS-IV norms are going to start from April 1, but they were still making vehicles with old technology.

They said that the government spent 18 thousand to 20 thousand crore rupees for making cleaner fuel. In such a case, BS-III vehicles should be banned from sale and production.

What is Bharat Stage (BS)?

A standard is set to control the pollution from the fuel used in vehicles. This is called Emission Norms.

As technology changes and methods of reducing pollution through experiments are discovered, the emission norms change.

It is necessary for every company to make vehicles under these norms, so that air pollution can be reduced. Fuel is also changed under the new standard.

BS-IV standard is currently running in India. It is also called Euro-IV.

The Government of India has decided that it will apply BS-VI standard directly, skipping BS-V. It is expected to be implemented by 2020.

Benefits of BS-IV Fuel

It will reduce carbon monoxide by 56%. This gas causes headache and vomiting.

Hydrocarbons from the burning of the fuel cause headaches. BS-IV will reduce its effect by 50%.

Particulate Matter damages the lungs. The new standard will reduce its impact by 80%.

Nitrogen causes coughs and affects the eyes. This effect will be reduced to 47% by BS-IV.